Tested: The Holcutter and Rotabroach From Blair Equipment

We like to poke holes in metal- a pastime that loses its appeal roughly the second time you rip into something with a hardware-store hole saw. The sadist who invented those things had a flawless solution for making oblong, jagged-edged holes while also gouging the surrounding metal and breaking your wrist when the drill motor snags. A couple years ago, we stepped up to a set of Blair Equipment's Holcutter and Rotabroach tools. It was like jumping from a three-toothed hacksaw blade to a scalpel.

The Blair tools are true cutters, sort of like machine tools. They come in two types: Rotabroach and Holcutter. The Holcutter is available in sizes from 1116 to 3 inches and cuts materials up to 18 inch thick. The Rotabroach can be as small as ¼ inch and as large as 1½ inches, and can handle materials up to ½ inch thick. We haven't found much of a difference in technique or results between the two. Both rock, slicing perfectly round holes cleaner and easier than even a Greenlee punch. We consider these must-haves even for entry-level fabricators.